VIDEO: Celebrate Ronald Reagan’s 100th Birthday

This Sunday marks the 100th anniversary of President Ronald Reagan’s birth. A man of many talents and accomplishments, his sense of humor and contagious optimism are perhaps most missed today as our nation faces a host of difficult challenges. As we recall in our new video celebrating his birthday, when Reagan took office our nation was in a similarly precarious situation. With high unemployment and inflation at home and the looming threat of communism abroad, America was at a crossroads. But in the face of all these obstacles, President Reagan rose to the challenge. He firmly believed in America’s unique role in the world and was confident that America’s best days were ahead of it. “Above all,” he said during his first inauguration, “we must realize that no arsenal, or no weapon in the arsenals of the world, is so formidable as the will and moral courage of free men and women. It is a weapon our adversaries in today’s world do not have. It is a weapon that we as Americans do have.”

Under his leadership, guided by strong conservative principles, Reagan helped oversee America’s return to prosperity and the fall of the Soviet Union. As Heritage’s Lee Edwards lays out in a new paper, Reagan exhibited “the classical virtues of courage, prudence, justice, and wisdom.” As Edwards explains, when Reagan left office, he assured Americans that together they had made a difference. “They had made America—that ‘shining city on a hill’—stronger and freer and had left her in good hands.”

We here at The Heritage Foundation are not unaware of the challenges we face today, but we are confident that they can be conquered and that Americans can, as they always have, be counted upon to find solutions. As President Reagan said in that same inauguration speech, “After all, why shouldn’t we believe that? We are Americans. God bless you, and thank you.”

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In Regan’s Words, the fundamental solution of today’s problems is limited government. We must shrink the cost, the size, and the scope of the federal government – now!

“It's time we asked ourselves if we still know the freedoms intended for us by the Founding Fathers. James Madison said, ‘We base all our experiments on the capacity of mankind for self-government.’ This idea that government was beholden to the people, that it had no other source of power, is still the newest, most unique idea in all the long history of man's relation to man. This is the issue of this election: Whether we believe in our capacity for self-government or whether we abandon the American Revolution and confess that a little intellectual elite in a far-distant capital can plan our lives for us better than we can plan them ourselves.” – Ronald Reagan -October 27, 1964

“Public servants say, always with the best of intentions, ‘What greater service we could render if only we had a little more money and a little more power.’ But the truth is that outside of its legitimate function, government does nothing as well or as economically as the private sector.” – October 27, 1964

"The fact is, we'll never build a lasting economic recovery by going deeper into debt at a faster rate than we ever have before. It took this nation 166 years until the middle of World War II to finally accumulate a debt of $95 billion. It took this administration just the last 12 months to add $95 billion to the debt. And this administration has run up almost one-fourth of the total national debt in just these short 19 months.” – Reagan Mar. 31, 1976

Note:

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Since Reagan the recklessness in DC rose the national debt by $12,542 – nearly 5 times the national debt in 1988

Clinton added $1,610 Billion to the debt [8 years] ($752 Billion in debt spending – $1289 Billion in interest accumulation and since the Republicans took control of the congress we were able to repay the debt by $431 Billion.)

Bush(43) added $4,312 Billion to the debt [8 years] ($2,134 Billion in debt spending – $2,306 Billion in interest accumulation and one year of debt reduction of $128 Billion.)

Obama will add by the end of 2011 $5,158 Billion to the debt [3 years] ($4,235 Billion in spending – $923 Billion in interest accumulation.)

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"When a conservative says it is bad for the government to spend more than it takes in, he is simply showing the same common sense that tells him to come in out of the rain." – Reagan Feb. 6, 1977

[For the following two quotes, think that in 23 years – just over a generation – we now have a debt of $15 Trillion]

"Can we, who man the ship of state, deny it is somewhat out of control? Our national debt is approaching $1 trillion. A few weeks ago I called such a figure, a trillion dollars, incomprehensible, and I've been trying ever since to think of a way to illustrate how big a trillion really is. And the best I could come up with is that if you had a stack of thousand-dollar bills in your hand only 4 inches high, you'd be a millionaire. A trillion dollars would be a stack of thousand-dollar bills 67 miles high. The interest on the public debt this year we know will be over $90 billion, and unless we change the proposed spending for the fiscal year beginning October 1st, we'll add another almost $80 billion to the debt." – Ronald Reagan Feb. 18, 1981

“We don't have a trillion-dollar debt because we haven't taxed enough; we have a trillion-dollar debt because we spend too much” – Address to National Association of Realtors, March 28, 1982

“Government does not tax to get the money it needs; government always finds a need for the money it gets.”

“Are you entitled to the fruits of your labor or does government have some presumptive right to spend and spend and spend?”

“We must not look to government to solve our problems. Government is the problem.”

Remember that old anti-drug PIA during Reagan’s era with the frying pan and the egg?

Well here it goes:

– Here is your country (the egg)

– Here is the federal government (the hot iron pan over a flame)

– Here is your country on the federal government (the egg is cracked and as it hits the pan it is fried)

At the right time in history a man came along during America's time of deep despair. President Regan did the best he could muster, to pull America from the brink of a depression and nuclear war. He was my Commander and Chief during the 8 years of his Presidency. I was proud of him and understood his motive for achieving peace and goodness. He came at the hottest point of the Cold War and he was the final spearhead that pierced the heart of the Big Bear (Soviet Empire). I served in Europe during a critical year, 1986-1987 with mobile cruise missiles (nuclear tipped) aimed at the Warsaw Pact. We were to offset the SS-20 missiles aimed at NATO. This standoff was the final blow that led to the INF treaty for arm reductions. The final blow that crushed the Berlin Wall and the collapse of the Soviet Empire. Thank you Mr. President for being there! The last greatest President of out time!

“Can we, who man the ship of state, deny it is somewhat out of control? Our national debt is approaching $1 trillion. A few weeks ago I called such a figure, a trillion dollars, incomprehensible, and I’ve been trying ever since to think of a way to illustrate how big a trillion really is. And the best I could come up with is that if you had a stack of thousand-dollar bills in your hand only 4 inches high, you’d be a millionaire. A trillion dollars would be a stack of thousand-dollar bills 67 miles high. The interest on the public debt this year we know will be over $90 billion, and unless we change the proposed spending for the fiscal year beginning October 1st, we’ll add another almost $80 billion to the debt.” – Ronald Reagan Feb. 18, 1981

After 2011 and a $15 trillion dollar debt that 67 mile high stack of $1K bills has grown to 1,005 miles! Or just a little over the distance between the District of Columbia and Kansas City!

Let us use Reagan’s analogy of $1 trillion being a 67-mile high stack of $1K bills in another way. After 2011, the national debt will be over $15 trillion. If we were lucky enough to pay off the debt by only $370 billion each year, this will be at a rate of 24.8 miles per year or in speed terms that would be 0.003 miles per hour. This works out to 3 inches per minute. Most snails travel at 3 inches per minute. Therefore, any payoff rate around or less than $370 will quite literally be paying off the debt at a snails pace.

I miss the Old Man dearly — and I'm glad we're marking his 100th birthday.

But let's not forget that, thanks to Reagan and a few others, the world is not the same as it was in 1981. We live in a different time, in a different nation with different needs — again, thanks to Reagan's efforts so long ago.

That means we cannot do everything Reagan did back then in 2011 — because it would be folly. There is a difference between honoring the past and perpetually living in it.

Let's hope today's conservatives learn this lesson as well during their celebrations.

What a man! Happy Birthday, Mr. President! It's too bad not all those in leadership have the respect, intellect, strength and dignity to follow in your footsteps! Your American leadership is deeply missed! Especially integrity. Your faith in the American people exists, without the support or acknowledgment of today's leadership. God Bless those who do follow your example of American leadership.

[…] leftists at UMass-Amherst.Reagan inspired me to be a conservative. The Heritage Foundation blog, The Foundry, has a more lengthy post on the subject written by Brandon Stewart. Consider this an open thread on […]

[…] continue to approach the 100th birthday of President Ronald Reagan, here is a great video from the Heritage Foundation that reminds us through the words of Reagan that it can once again become “Morning in […]

Oh Happy Birthday to the best President we have ever had during my lifetime on this earth, I loved this man dearly;;;;; i have four boys and one girl, guess who the little girl is named after, that's right, Mr Reagan… This is a wonderful thing that we are celebrating his 100th birthday!

I deeply miss president Reagan. I will never forget being in my 6th grade class when I was 12 and witnessed the Challenger disaster. I remember president Reagans comforting speach. I always thought of him as my third grandfather, as when I was in elementary school there was always the threat of the USSR, and I knew that he would protect us if it came to nuclear war. In December of 2009, I lost my own father to cancer and this celebration really hits home for me. I feel that with recent developments in the Middle East, we are on the verge of a third world war. What a blessing it was to have a president who knew and felt greatful for all of the freedoms and blessings we uniquely enjoy as Americans. If we could only remember these truths as we try to defend and protect the values of freedom in a world filled with evil people who only want death and destruction to all those that do not believe as they do.

Ronald Reagan's policy's can be used for today. He Ronald Reagan spoke of things then that can be relevent for today. Thank you Lord for Ronald Reagan at a time such as then. I ask the Lord to provide someone like him now! May God still Bless America

Mr.Reagan is not dead as long as ONE american holds the values in his heart that this precious man willed to all of us!Ronald Reagan reminded the nation that character,and virtue did matter,and their absence would be the feed for failure!He once reminded us at a small gathering before he became President,the words of a British figure,Lord Acton(1834-1902),where he observed "Liberty is not a means to a higher political end.It is itself the highest political end." Many reasons have been offered as to why Ronald Reagan,the man,and Ronald Reagan,the Presidnt,had such a profound effect in government,as well as the American scene.After years of watching,reading,and giving much thought to this,this observer feels he has the answer so many have asked-Charactor,moral fiber,and above all,an undying love,understanding,and belief in America,and its citizens! He was convinced that freedom,and liberty was in fact,a vital part of man's D.N.A.,and the "American Dream" was futher proof of its existance!Let every person who loves,lives in,or dreams of FREEDOM,offer up a "Thank You" to this man of the people as we say "Happy Birthday" Ronald Reagan,we miss you!

[…] The Heritage Foundation reports: This Sunday marks the 100th anniversary of President Ronald Reagan’s birth. A man of many talents and accomplishments, his sense of humor and contagious optimism are perhaps most missed today as our nation faces a host of difficult challenges. As we recall in our new video celebrating his birthday, when Reagan took office our nation was in a similarly precarious situation. With high unemployment and inflation at home and the looming threat of communism abroad, America was at a crossroads. But in the face of all these obstacles, President Reagan rose to the challenge. He firmly believed in America’s unique role in the world and was confident that America’s best days were ahead of it. “Above all,” he said during his first inauguration, “we must realize that no arsenal, or no weapon in the arsenals of the world, is so formidable as the will and moral courage of free men and women. It is a weapon our adversaries in today’s world do not have. It is a weapon that we as Americans do have.” […]

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